Protective jacket for string musical instruments

ABSTRACT

A protective jacket for the outer end portion of the box or body of a musical instrument such as a violin or viola. The jacket covers that portion of the box which comes into contact with parts of the body of the musician to protect the box from perspiration, to preserve the varnish which is critical to the tone of the instrument, and to prevent moisture from entering the edges of the box which are glued together and which could result in the edges opening up. The jacket may be quickly and easily applied and removed, and is preferably transparent so that it can be used not only for practice but also for concerts, especially outdoor summer concerts.

United States Patent Toth PROTECTIVE JACKET FOR STRING MUSICALINSTRUMENTS [76] Inventor: John S. Toth, 309 Mariellen St.,

Mishawaka, lnd. 46544 22 Filed: Sept. 26, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 400,977

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,629,105 5/1927 Hoover150/52 G Apr. 15, 1975 Primary ExaminerDonald F. Norton Attorney, Agent,or Firm-John N, Randolph [57] ABSTRACT A protective jacket for the outerend portion of the box or body of a musical instrument such as a violinor viola. The jacket covers that portion of the box which comes intocontact with parts of the body of the musician to protect the box fromperspiration, to preserve the varnish which is critical to the tone ofthe instrument, and to prevent moisture from entering the edges of thebox which are glued together and which could result in the edges openingup. The jacket may be quickly and easily applied and removed,'and ispreferably transparentso that it can be used not only for practice butalso for concerts, especially outdoor summer concerts.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PROTECTIVE JACKET FOR STRING MUSICALINSTRUMENTS SUMMARY It is a primary object of the present invention toprovide a moisture proof or repellant jacket of extremely simpleconstruction which can be readily applied to the portion of a musicalinstrument box which comes in contact with the body of the user toprotect said portion from moisture which would otherwise damage the box.

Another object of the invention is to provide a jacket which ispreferably transparent so that it would not be readily seen when in use,and which is provided with novel means for detachably securing itremovably on the outer end of the instrument box.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterbecome more fully apparent from the following description of thedrawing, illustrating presently preferred embodiments thereof, andwherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front elevational view ofaviolin and showing the protective jacket applied thereto;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof, looking from left to right ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the violin with the jacket applied,and

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a violin showing a slightlymodified embodiment of the jacket applied thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring more specifically tothe drawing and first with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a protectivejacket designated generally 5 is shown applied detachably to the outerend of the box 6 of a violin 7.

The jacket 5 is formed of a thin, preferably transparent, material, suchas cellophane, having the shape of an elongated narrow bag, including afront wall 8, rear wall 9 and an arcuate continuous side wall 10constituting somewhat more than a semi-circle. A reinforcing border 11which may constitute a rolled continuous edge of the jacket materialextends across the upper or inner edges of the walls 8 and 9 and acrossthe ends of the side wall 10. As seen in FIG. 1, the portion of theborder 11 which extends across the front wall 8, is arcuately bowedinwardly with respect to said front wall to pass across the tailpiece 12of the instrument, beyond the strings 13.

The end portions of the side wall 10 have reinforcing strips 14 securedto the inner sides thereof, as seen in FIG. 2. Longitudinally spacedopenings 15 are formed in said end portions and extend through thestrips l4.

Elastic securing means 16, such as an endless elastic band, is securedto each end of the wall 10, in any suitable manner, as by having anintermediate portion of each band passing through any one of theopenings 15 to form two end loops. The loops of the two bands 16 engageover the ears or horns 17 of the box 6 for detachably securing thejacket 5 thereon, positioned as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3. As thusdisposed, the jacket 5 will completely cover and protect the outer endof the box 6 which comes in contact with the shoulder, neck and chin ofthe musician to prevent moisture, resulting from perspiration, cominginto contact with the box 6 and damaging the varnish finish and gluedseams. In addition, the jacket 5 by being transparent is substantiallyinvisible at even a very short distance from the instrument 7, so thatis may be utilized to protect the instrument at public performances.

FIG. 4 illustrates a slight modification of the jacket, designatedgenerally 18, and which is formed of thin latex rubber or other similarmaterial which is sufficiently elastic to permit the ends 19 of thearcuate side portion 20 to be stretched over the ears 17 for retainingthe jacket 18 in its applied position of FIG. 4. The reinforcing border21 of the jacket 18, corresponding to the border 11, sufficientlyreinforces the portion 19 to withstand the tension applied to the jacket18 by engagement of said portions 19 over the ears 17. The front side ofthe jacket 18 is shaped in the same manner as the front wall of thejacket 5 to extend across the tailpiece 12 below or beyond the strings13.

Various other modifications and changes are contemplated and may beresorted to, without departing from the function or scope of theinvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A protective jacket for a musical instrument, such as a violin, saidjacket comprising an elongated bagshaped body including a front wall, arear wall and a side wall connecting said front and rear walls, saidjacket being adapted to engage over the outer end of an instrument box,and elastic loops connected to end portions of said side wall andadapted to detachably engage over the ears of the box.

2. A jacket as in claim I, and means for adjustably connecting saidelastic loops to the ends of said side wall for varying the tensionexerted by the loops on the jacket.

3. A jacket as in claim 1, said body including a reinforcing borderextending around the opening thereof.

1 4. Ajacket as in claim 3, the portion of the border extending acrosssaid front wall being arcuately bowed inwardly of said front wall toengage across the tailpiece of the instrument beyond the instrumentstrings.

5. A jacket as in claim 1, said jacket being formed of a flexibletransparent material impervious to moisture,

such as cellophane.

1. A protective jacket for a musical instrument, such as a violin, saidjacket comprising an elongated bag-shaped body including a front wall, arear wall and a side wall connecting said front and rear walls, saidjacket being adapted to engage over the outer end of an instrument box,and elastic loops connected to end portions of said side wall andadapted to detachably engage over the ears of the box.
 2. A jacket as inclaim 1, and means for adjustably connecting said elastic loops to theends of said side wall for varying the tension exerted by the loops onthe jacket.
 3. A jacket as in claim 1, said body including a reinforcingborder extending around the opening thereof.
 4. A jacket as in claim 3,the portion of the border extending across said front wall beingarcuately bowed inwardly of said front wall to engage across thetailpiece of the instrument beyond the instrument strings.
 5. A jacketas in claim 1, said jacket being formed of a flexible transparentmaterial impervious to moisture, such as cellophane.